Front page instructions for unzipping .ZIP file are wrong?

[MikeTheGreat]

I was looking through the instructions for downloading the .ZIP file on the index page and I believe that the instructions for extracting the .ZIP file are wrong.

On the front page, under the 'Getting Ready' section step #2 reads

Double-click on the zip file to unzip it. You should end up with a new folder called data-shell.

This is definitely wrong for Windows (10, 8, and I think 7). On Windows if you double click on a .ZIP file it will show you the contents of the .ZIP file as if it were a normal folder but it does not actually extract it.

On Windows one should right-click on the .ZIP file, then select "Extract All...", and then pick where to put it.

I'm opening up an issue (instead of submitting a pull request) because I'm not sure if the lesson is supposed to be Windows-specific, Windows-and-Mac-specific, or platform agnostic.

Maybe the fix here is to include accurate instructions for both Windows and Mac?

[gdevenyi]

Can we rely on learners to know how to unzip a file? This is a place where installed software can seriously change the given experience.

[iglpdc]

In MacOSX the zip files uncompress automatically. In Windows you have to do the "Extract all " thing. I never have a problem during a workshop with that. Either because people know how to do it, or because they are asked to copy the file afterward to the Desktop and the combination works.

@MikeTheGreat, do you know if this (double click and then copying the contents of the zip file) would work on Windows?

[MikeTheGreat]

@iglpdc Yes - Double-clicking the .ZIP will show the contents inside the .ZIP, and then when you select them all and copy them to another (non-compressed/non-.ZIP) folder Windows will extract the files as it copies them.

That said - I don't see where in the lessons is says to copy the contents of the .ZIP to a new location. The next time that the contents are mentioned is in 01-Files and Directories file, where it seems to assume that the .ZIP has been extracted onto the Desktop (it sounds like this is exactly what will have happened, on a Mac).

Thinking about it, I think my concern is that the instructions specifically tell students to do the wrong thing on Windows. Inexperienced Windows users will double-click the file and then Windows will show them a folder that appears to be a normal folder containing normal files.

I wonder about rephrasing this as "Double-click on the zip file to uUnzip**/extract** itthe file. You should end up with a new folder called data-shell."

If you want to include platform-specific instructions for unzipping you could include more specific directions (or links to directions) under that item.

[shwina]

@MikeTheGreat @iglpdc

How about:

Unzip/extract the file (ask your instructor if you need help with this step). You should end up with a new folder called data-shell on your Desktop.

I agree with @gdevenyi that this step depends on what software is available and we can't possibly provide instructions for every imaginable situation. I envision that learners who have a problem with this step will probably be very new to their platform (Linux/Mac/Windows). The instructor (or someone in the room with experience in that platform) will probably be able to guide them through this step.

[MikeTheGreat]

Unzip/extract the file (ask your instructor if you need help with this step). You should end up with a new folder called data-shell on your Desktop.

This looks good to me!